Wandering Home
by MKT3
Summary: "Not all those who wander are lost…" -J.R.R. Tolkien. Bella has a plan, but when she moves to Forks Jacob and the Cullens have her stumbling off course. Does everything really happen for a reason? Could she really be wandering home?
1. Chapter 1

_**Wandering Home**_

_**By: MKT3**_

_**Chapter One: Atypical**_

I was not your typical Arizona girl. I wasn't a cheerleader or a volleyball player. I didn't like wearing a bathing suit…ever, and I never had a tan. Tanning was never in the cards for me; my skin was extremely pale, all I ever did was burn. My hair was not highlighted, my teeth were not perfectly straight, and I didn't (thank God) say 'like' between every other word I uttered. I read, a lot, and didn't usually have much to say. I never really quite _fit in_ with the people in Phoenix no matter how hard my mother Renee tried to make things otherwise.

Of course, everybody loved Renee. I always believed that the few friends that did come over to my home really came because they wanted to hang out with her, not me. That was okay with me; really, Renee _was _a lot of fun. She was like a teenaged girl in a thirty-something's body; she loved shopping, gushed about 'hot' actors, and squealed about things that excited her. Let me tell you, she got excited about an awful lot of things. That was why I loved Renee; she was always happy, excited, and hopeful. It was very nearly impossible to turn down her requests when she got excited enough to squeal about it. That was also why I followed her around Phoenix; participating in just about all of the amateur exercise and art classes the city had to offer.

The natural balance of my complacency and her constant, forward-movement made us a good team. She kept me from spending entire weekends holed up in my room reading. I would miss her excitement and the motivation she provided; I was certainly never bored with Renee. I sighed, twisting the ring on my index finger, as I gazed through the elliptical window of the jet, watching the city of Phoenix shrink to doll size then map size before it disappeared beneath the clouds. I would also miss the heat, the warmth of Phoenix. I know I said I didn't like to wear bathing suits, but that doesn't mean I didn't like the sun. I loved the sun, the warmth of it always made me feel at home, like I was wrapped in a comforting blanket.

As I considered the things I was leaving behind, I tried to come up with some positives about my new home. Forks had never been my favorite place; I was always cold here, and damp. I always felt like I would never be warm and dry again when I went there every summer to visit Charlie. Charlie, he was a positive. Though we never really knew how to talk to each other, things were always comfortable between us. We had very similar personalities; we never had to pretend to be excited about something or make awkward small talk. Charlie and I could just be together and that was enough for both of us.

It had been years since I had actually been to Forks. Charlie stopped forcing me to go when I was probably eleven or twelve. Instead he would come to Phoenix and visit me; he always joked that he got his 'quota of sun' for the whole year while he was there. I simply couldn't imagine _not_ seeing the sun for all that time.

I supposed I would fit in better, physically at least, with the students at Forks High School than I did with those in Phoenix. It would be normal to have pale skin, and I could avoid wearing a bathing suit for the larger majority of the year. It's not that I disliked my body; it's just that, well, next to the tanned skin and toned bodies of the other girls…I always looked comparatively sickly. Sickly is definitely not a good look. I simply was not an athlete. Renee tried to get me to play soccer, softball, and even signed me up for ballet class as a kid (I've never figured out what she was thinking…). Each one of those activities resulted in further humiliation and instilled in me a hatred of all things sports. Childhood scars run deep.

That thought made me laugh and rub the pad of my thumb across the scar on my left wrist. I had been seriously traumatized as a kid when I was, momentarily, pinned beneath a tree. Jacob, my best friend in Forks (and my father's best friend's son) and I had been playing in the woods near his house. He was climbing trees and taunting me, trying to get me to climb with him. I, of course, refused; I was not about to allow myself to fall out of a tree. I was a sensible and self-aware person, even then. Hanging from one of the very thick tree branches up ahead, Jacob swung down to tease me some more, when we heard a loud crack. My head shot up at the sound; as my eyes searched for the source, I saw Jacob swinging awkwardly on the branch. I realized that the huge branch he was hanging on was about to break. Wanting to do something to prevent Jacob's impending fall, I rushed over to him.

While I stood beneath the tree, searching for a way to get Jacob down without hurting him; the branch finally cracked and gave-way. With my natural lack of coordination, I tripped trying to get out of the way and landed, with a huff, at almost exactly the same moment the tree limb did. I was fine, generally, but my arm was trapped between the tree and the muddy ground. Jacob, who had landed gracefully on his feet as the branch came down, tried to lift the branch, but it was much too large for him. He was only about seven at the time.

I yanked and pulled at my arm in a panic, until Jacob finally ran to get Charlie. Luckily, I hadn't broken any bones but I did need stitches in my wrist. The doctor told me I probably wouldn't have needed those either, if I had just stayed still. Jacob felt horrible about my accident and spent the rest of the week waiting on me hand and foot, trying to make up for my injury. I never blamed him; he couldn't change the fact that I was hopelessly clumsy.

Jacob was another positive about Forks; although, I supposed, that depended on whether he was the same as he had been when we were kids. Teenaged boys tended to be irritating to me (I didn't find crude jokes or their rude idea of 'flirting' attractive in any way); hopefully Jacob wasn't the same as the rest of them.

I wasn't looking forward to living in Forks, but I was determined to make the best of it. Renee deserved to spend some time with her new husband, Phil, and I refused to let myself get in the way of their time together.

When I arrived in Forks, it was raining, of course. Charlie had taken the day off of work to pick me up. Charlie, Renee, and I had decided it would be best if I came to Forks a couple of days early; so that I could get settled in before I started school after spring break ended. I was kind of dreading my return to school, being the new kid was sure to draw unwanted attention. It was Wednesday, so at least I had a long weekend to get myself mentally prepared for a new first impression. I sighed at the thought as Charlie and I lugged my suitcases into the house.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:**

I'm so excited to start getting into the story!

A few things:

In my story, while I remain mostly in cannon, there are some things that are quite different. Jacob is a year older in my story than he is in Twilight. He is currently 16 to Bella's 17. You will notice how Jake looks even older, taller, and more muscular now. This is because the change is coming earlier than it does in cannon. Another thing that is different about Jacob and the pack: they get to keep their hair long and it does not affect the length of their coats as a wolves. Why? Because I _love _Jacob with long hair and just didn't want to give it up.

Thanks to my betas for this chapter: duskwatcher and VixenNator (Thank you so much for helping me fix all my darn semi-colon and comma errors! Those are both weaknesses of mine that I'm workin' on. Hearts for betas and their patience and advice!)

And, as always, to Bry for early reads and advice when I first got started!

Love to Mags for being the best sister ever and for helping me re-word when I just can't make a darn decision!

~All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. ~

**2. Chevy **

I was unpacking in my room when I heard a low rumbling sound and a honk out in the driveway. Who could be visiting already? We had only been home for an hour. I could hear Charlie greeting someone downstairs and his heavy boots scraping across the hardwood floor to the foot of the stairs.

"Hey, Bells?"

"Yeah, Dad?"

"C'mon down here. I want to show you something."

_Show me something? _"Okay?"

I carefully inched my way down the narrow stairs. This house was obviously not designed for the grace-challenged; I had already stubbed a toe on my first trip up them less than an hour ago. As I made my slow descent into the kitchen, I caught sight of a young man with long, pitch black hair. He was very tall with smooth, coffee-colored skin a square jaw and straight nose. He was laughing at something Charlie said, and his wide, bright smile had the corners of my mouth turning up in response. He leaned over Billy's wheel chair, carefully steering him into the kitchen. It warmed my heart to see someone taking such gentle care of Charlie's oldest friend, but who was he?

When I visited Charlie as a child, I remembered spending my days with Billy's son, down on the reservation, but this couldn't possibly be him. Jacob had been a year younger than me. The young man standing before me was easily in his twenties. There was no way a sixteen year old could be that big.

Billy noticed me standing there and turned to me with an equally contagious smile.

"Hi, Bella! It's great to see you again!" he enthused. "Charlie hasn't stopped talking about you since he found out you were coming."

I blushed as Charlie and I exchanged awkward glances before dropping my gaze to the floor. "It's good to see you too."

"You remember Jacob, right? You guys used to spend hours playing in the tide pools together when you were kids."

_Wow, it _is_ Jacob!_ No. Way.

"Sure I do. Hey, Jake," I responded, hoping my face didn't betray my disbelief.

Jake stepped forward with a big, happy grin on his face. "It's good to see you, Bella," he said while he engulfed my small hand in his huge one. I smiled back at him and felt a blush warm my cheeks. His eyes were twinkling at me. I hadn't believed eyes really did that until I saw Jacob's. I figured it was something authors made up. I took a calming breath. I didn't usually smile this much around anyone.

"Billy and Jake brought up your homecoming present, Bells. Ready to see it?" Charlie asked, drawing me out of my reverie. I looked up to watch Charlie's eyes switch between looking hopefully at me and glancing nervously toward the door.

"Dad, what do you mean 'homecoming present'? You know how I feel about gifts."

"Just give it a chance, Bella."

"Okay, fine, where is it?" I sighed. I hated being the center of attention; even when someone was trying to give me gifts, there was always so much pressure to react the way people wanted you to.

"It's right outside," Jacob said, wheeling Billy back out the door.

As I followed them, I couldn't help but notice Jacob's unusually brawny physique, especially for a sixteen year old. His plain, grey t-shirt strained over the muscles of his upper back and shoulders, amplifying the affect his height had that made him look at least five years older than he was. Who would have guessed that I would be attracted to a guy with long hair? Whoa, what was I thinking? _Jacob is just a family friend, he probably sees me as another sister_. I scolded myself, shaking my head. He was beautiful though.

Charlie interrupted my musings again. "I figured you'd need something to help you get around town, you know, so you don't always have to get a ride with your old dad…" he trailed off, fidgeting nervously.

Then I saw it. "Are you telling me that you bought me a truck?" I whispered. I was in shock. Charlie nodded.

"Oh my god!" I squealed. Yes, I squealed like the stereotypical teenage girl I was, but I didn't care. I loved my truck. "It's perfect!" I called as I rushed over to it, not tripping once.

It really was gorgeous, a nineteen fifty three Chevy pickup, a classic, with what appeared to be the original orange-red paint job. It had a rounded cab and a decent sized bed, not like those new trucks that were so tall and long I was always surprised you didn't need a special license to be allowed to drive them. I wrenched the door opened and hopped in, taking a deep breath of the old-car smell. I could smell motor oil, sun-faded leather, tobacco, and a musky, woodsy scent I couldn't quite put my finger on. It smelled amazing. I looked up to see that the three men were watching me, each of them wearing a broad grin. Well, I guess only two of them were really "men." I cranked the window down, since it had actually stopped raining for a few moments, and shouted "Thanks, Dad!" towards the porch.

"Let me show you the trick of the truck. It's a little quirky," Jacob said, leaving his father with mine and jogging over to the passenger side of the truck.

_My truck is quirky, how appropriate_, I thought to myself, as I smiled at Jacob. Hm, another smile. Maybe Forks won't be so bad after all.

"So you've got to double pump the clutch when you shift or you'll choke the engine. Make sure that you give her some time to accelerate or you'll wear out the transmission, it's not fully restored. Oh, and if you want to roll down the passenger side window, you've got to pound on the door first," he said with a crooked grin. I felt my cheeks flush red again at his smirk.

"So you really like it?" he asked.

"Oh yeah! It's great, perfect," I enthused.

"Good," he said, smiling, "I've been tuning her up for you."

"You can fix cars?"

"Yeah, I'm building one right now. It's a hobby of mine."

"You're building a car?" I asked, impressed.

"Well, I'm building an engine from scrap parts."

"Wow, that's kind of amazing."

"Well thanks," he said, grinned again, "If you have any trouble with her, just give me a call or stop by the rez. And I'll fix her right up for you."

"Is that likely to happen?"

"Well, she is a fifty-three. She's been around a while."

"I'll make sure to get your home phone number from Charlie later, then."

"Actually, it would probably be easier for you to just call my cell. I spend most of my time in the garage, and there's nobody to answer the land-line when Dad's not home."

"Okay," I said, fishing my phone out of my back pocket. He grabbed it out of my hands and programmed his number with another smirk, before handing it back to me.

There was something about that smirk, like he was always up to something and yet, somehow, I always felt like I was in on the joke.

Charlie and Billy made their way down to us; Charlie was all smiles, he seemed almost as happy as I was that I liked my new truck.

"I hope you enjoy her, Bella," Billy said. "I've had her for years. Jake has been dying to sell her to get the money for parts. Now seemed like as good a time as any to part with her."

"I'll take good care of it, Billy. Thank you both so much!"

"Don't thank us," Jacob said. "Thank Charlie. He finally got me the parts I needed to finish my Rabbit."

"What's a Rabbit?" I asked.

All of them laughed. "It's a car, Bella. A pretty sweet one, if I do say so myself," said Jacob, brushing imaginary dirt off of his shoulder.

"Well, I hope I get a chance to see it sometime," I replied with sincerity. _Since when are you interested in cars? _some cynical, observant part of my subconscious wondered.

"Don't worry, Bells. Jacob loves to show off. He'll bore you to tears with technical jargon if you let him get carried away," joked Billy. Jacob scratched the back of his neck and shook his head, but didn't deny his father's statement.

"Well, we should get back to the rez, we have a council meeting tonight. It'll be Jacob's first time," Billy said, while Jake rolled his eyes. We all said our good-byes as Jacob helped his father into their handicap-capable car and drove off, squealing the tires on the asphalt.

"Young punk," Charlie muttered under his breath, though he could hardly keep the smile off his face. Charlie loved Jacob, I could tell.

"What do ya' say we take your new truck for a test-drive? We could go to the diner for some burgers," Charlie suggested.

"Sounds great!" I replied, excited for the chance to drive my truck for the first time.

**Author's Note:**

Leave me some love…things will get moving pretty soon .

I will post chapter 3 as soon as I get it back from the betas.

Thanks for reading!


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Note: **

Hey everybody! Thank you Thank you Thank you soooo much for your favorites and reviews! I never imagined that people would actually want to read my story or like it as much as I did while I was writing it! I heart you all for reading and please keep telling me how you're liking it (even if you don't!) because that helps me improve in my writing and get to know that kinds of things people want to see for later chapters!

-Thank you, as always, to my sister Maggie for putting up with my craziness (related to fanfiction or not:)- I love you. You're awesome!

-Of course, thanks to Bry for being awesome and putting up with my craziness (usually related to fanfiction...haha) and helping me get started.

-Thank you to the betas for this chapter! One who is unnamed (but thank you, anyway!) and _sbsp92 _who gave me one of the best compliments:"_I normally don't read/or really like Bella/Jacob fics, but this one is interesting." (Thank you so much! That comment made me feel good about myself;). Thanks, ladies, for fixing all my awkward sentences...I was really struggling with those in this chapter and just couldn't...fix...it (I was very frustrated with it!). Oh, and I'm going to spend some time studying comma-usage in a serious way once my RL slows down a bit._

Chapter Note: I have a love/hate relationship with this chapter. I just had the most difficult time wording things in this one...I don't know why. Hopefully I (with help from the betas) fixed it and you guys won't notice as much awkwardness.

~All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. ~

_**Wandering Home**_

_**By: MKT3**_

**3. Hero**

My alarm went off on Thursday morning startling me out of a vivid dream. It was exceptionally realistic, though, I wouldn't have been able to describe it. All I remembered was rich green forest and the sound of pounding rain. Although, the rain aspect was probably a product of the real rain pelting my window and making the tree outside scrape loudly on the glass. Ugh, this weather was going to take a lot of getting used to.

I shook off my strange dream and got ready quickly, showering, and pulling on an old pair of jeans and my new favorite flannel shirt. I laughed to myself as I remembered shopping with Renee the week before; she was going on and on about how flannel and plaid were back in style and that, maybe, dressing for the weather here wouldn't be as miserable as we anticipated. _Like being fashionable would somehow make being constantly damp enjoyable_,I thought, shaking my head. I headed down the stairs while I tied my hair up in a wet pony tail; it would likely look like I had just gotten out of the shower all day, anyway.

After making my way to the kitchen and pouring some cereal, I sat down with a pen and paper to write my shopping list. After dinner with Charlie last night, I discovered that he frequents the diner as often as five nights a week. This is unacceptable for someone his age; he needed to be eating much healthier foods if he wanted to keep his heart healthy. When I mentioned to Charlie that I had always cooked for Renee and Phil and that it was something I actually enjoyed doing, he gladly handed over the food fund and told me to "go wild."

Once my list and my breakfast were finished, I quickly washed my dishes and checked to be sure there wasn't any healthy food lurking, unseen, in the fridge. I did find Charlie's fish in the freezer and realized that I would have to come up with many more recipes for it; Charlie and Billy went fishing every time the deluge that is Forks' weather came down in slightly smaller buckets. Pulling on my new galoshes and rain coat, I made for my truck.

I rushed though the rain and had to catch myself painfully on the bed of the truck when I lost my footing on the slick driveway. When I finally made it into the dry haven that was my new truck, I leaned my head back against the seat and slowly inhaled the scent of the interior. I smiled as I started the engine; this car was going to be one of the best things about Forks.

I drove carefully through the pounding rain, always afraid that my physical clumsiness would somehow carry over into my driving. On the way to the grocery store, I stopped at the only stop light in town. While I waited for my turn, I fiddled with the radio, attempting to find a station on the ancient piece of machinery. It didn't take me long to give up. _Oh well, I probably wouldn't be able to hear the music over all the rain anyway,_ I thought.

The light turned green and I pushed down gently on the gas, remembering what Jacob said about giving it time to accelerate. The truck didn't move and I realized that it was much too quiet. The rain was still pounding overhead but the engine was not making any noise at all. This was certainly not a quiet engine; you could hear this truck coming from a mile away.

I pushed harder on the gas pedal. Nothing. "Damn," I muttered putting the car in park. I turned the key to the "off" position, and then attempted to restart it. Still, nothing. "Damn!" I said again, knowing there was something wrong. I tried a few more times but it seemed that my new car was dead.

I sighed as I pulled out my cell phone, hoping that Jacob didn't have to be at school today. As I searched for "Jacob" in my contacts menu, I realized what he had been smirking about yesterday. I came across a contact name that I had not entered; where it should say "Jacob" it said "Stud-muffin". I laughed, and then blushed; maybe my thoughts about his bulging muscles and beautiful smile were more obvious on my face than I thought. How embarrassing! I didn't have a choice, however, I was stranded in the middle of the busiest street in Forks (if you can call any street here "busy") and home was much too far a walk to make in this kind of weather.

I selected Jacob's number and hit "send" tapping my foot impatiently as I waited. He answered on the third ring; "Miss me already?" he asked.

I smiled to myself, "Yes, I just couldn't do without you, stud-muffin," I drawled in my best Scarlet O'Hara imitation.

I could hear him laughing on the other end. "I knew you couldn't resist," he joked. "So what are you up to today?"

"Well, I was attempting to go buy some groceries but, alas, I am stuck in a dead truck, in the middle of the busiest intersection in town."

He laughed at the sarcasm in my voice. "Well, I better get there quick. Been attacked by any road-raged commuters yet?"

I laughed with him, "Well, not yet, but it could happen if I continue causing this traffic jam. Plus, my truck is giving my sad puppy-dog eyes."

"Oh, so you were serious about the truck being dead?"

"Yes, and I'm too far from home to walk back, is it possible for you to pick me up? I would call Charlie but he left early this morning for an out-of-town training or something."

"Of course, we'll be there in a few minutes?"

"Thanks Jake."

"Don't mention it."

I settled down to read _Romeo and Juliet_ while I waited, getting lost in the drama and romance of a secret and forbidden meeting; "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…"

Honk!

My heart leapt into my throat as the sound of a truck's blaring horn startled me out of the romantic scene in my head. Jacob had brought a tow truck. I watched him hop out of the truck and jog over to me, in just a t-shirt and jeans.

"Where did you find a tow truck that fast?" I asked as I opened the door.

"I have my connections," he said with a smirk. "We have a guy on the reservation that drives it for the mechanic in town; they let him use it as long as he agrees to pick up stranded travelers on weekends."

"That's very helpful. Thanks again for saving me."

"It is my honor," he bowed gallantly and offered me his hand. I took it with a smile and a roll of the eyes. I let him help me out of my warm haven and into the bench seat of the tow truck where I waited for the guys to take care of my poor, broken truck.

An hour later, I was sitting on Jacob's living room couch, shivering from the wet and cold; waiting for him to come in and tell me the damage. I scanned the sparse decorations and furniture in the tiny house, realizing that this was actually a place I was very familiar with. The time I had spent here as a kid made if feel comfortable, like home. I got up to remove my coat hoping that, without its dripping, I would warm up faster. I draped it over the hook by the door where I had left my wet shoes.

"Humph," I said to myself, imagining what I would be wearing if I were in Phoenix right now. "It certainly wouldn't be causing a puddle on the floor," I muttered, turning around to check out the rest of the house.

It really was tiny; from the living room I could see the kitchen, the hallway, the backdoor, and all of the doors in the house. Assuming that one of those doors was the bathroom, I continued down the hallway telling myself that I really was just looking for the bathroom, not snooping. The first door I gently pushed opened revealed what I was fairly sure was Billy's room. There was a walker by the full-sized bed that I figured he must use to help him get in and out of bed. My face became hot with embarrassment and I averted my eyes; I couldn't lie to myself, I was snooping, and being in a private space where Billy's handicap clearly affected him made me feel guilty. I closed the door quickly.

I continued down the hall, still unsure which door was the bathroom and which one was Jacob's. I cautiously nudged open the door across the hall with my big toe; looking around to be sure nobody was watching, like a guilty child. This door barely opened because there was so much stuff on the floor. The clutter consisted mostly of clothing, but there were also the remnants of childhood hobbies scattered everywhere. There were a few sports trophies, a clear plastic box full of Legos, and a dream-catcher the two of us had made together one summer.

That made me smile and shake my head. "It's not doing you any good on the floor, Jacob."

"I know, but my dreams really aren't that bad anyway," said a quiet voice that blew warm breath across my ear and cheek.

My heart froze with surprise at his proximity, but my body jumped about a mile and I slammed my toe, hard, into the door jam. I stumbled and fell as I tried to get control of myself and the pain in my foot. Of course, I hit the same foot I had damaged on the stairs yesterday.

"Shit! Ow!" I muttered as I plopped down on the floor in the middle Jacob's doorway, my face a blazing, tomato red.

"Oh, geez, are you okay?" Jacob asked, hands fluttering around me, trying to find a way to catch me without touching anything but my flailing arms.

"I'm fine," I muttered, "Just got a bruised ego." I gingerly removed my sock to reveal a crack down the middle of my big toe nail with blood oozing from it.

"Ow, and a bloody toe, I'm so sorry!" Jacob fussed. He opened the last door in the hallway, revealing the blasted bathroom I had been 'searching' for a moment ago. A new wave of red embarrassment flushed across my face, _I am such an idiot._

I leaned my head against the door frame when a wave of dizziness hit me. Between the endorphins trying to ease the pain in my foot and the blood rushing up to my face, I was not getting enough blood to my brain. Jacob returned with a first-aid kit.

"Are you okay?" he asked, brushing the hair that had fallen out of its pony tail back out of my face and looking into my eyes with concern.

"Yeah, I'm really fine, just a little dizzy from my very graceful fall and I wasn't joking about the bruised ego. You probably think I'm a creepy stalker now," I muttered, not meeting his gaze.

"You can stalk me anytime, baby," he joked with a raised eyebrow. I laughed, snorting air through my nose as I didn't really have my wind back yet.

"Let me see that toe," he said, gently picking up my foot and placing it on his knee. I closed my eyes as he very carefully cleaned and wrapped up my toe; blood had always been difficult for me to handle. I was amazed at how gently he was able to take care of my injury, it hardly hurt while he was working on it.

"There, all better," he said, as he cleaned up the mess and put the first aid kit away.

"Thanks, Jake. I really am sorry," I said while I tried to get up from the floor, having a hard time trying to baby my damaged right foot. Jake rushed over to help me up and grabbed my waist to steady me.

"Stop apologizing. It's not every day I get to have a beautiful, older woman in my room."

"I wasn't actually _in_ your room," I said, trying to save some of my dignity.

"Besides, I'm the one who should be apologizing. I didn't mean to scare you."

He pulled my right arm around his shoulders and turned us toward the living room. He practically carried me back to the couch, supporting almost all of my weight with just his one arm.

"So, when did you get so buff?" I asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

He laughed. "I don't know it just kind of happened."

"You realize that it's not normal for a sixteen year old to be quite as big as you are?"

"Well, my dad says it's normal for some of the guys here on the rez. and that I will understand why after the council meeting tonight."

"Didn't you have a council meeting last night?"

"Yeah, but this is sort of a special weekend for us. It's a little like an independence day. We get Thursday and Friday off of school to celebrate the victory of our ancestors over another tribe who tried to take our land. There are some crazy, superstitious stories that go with the legend. You should come to the bonfire tomorrow and hear them, they're very entertaining."

"That sounds like fun, are you sure I would be welcome? I mean, it's not a tribe-only thing is it?"

"You would definitely be welcome. Besides, I'm part of the 'Pack' now," Jacob said, putting air quotes around the word pack. "At least, that's what they said last night; it means I'm a more elite member of the tribe now. They never explained why me, or any of the other members of the pack. They just said it was in our blood."

"Weird."

"Yeah and actually, this is the first time we have had a pack in years. All they said is that it's time for another one. Tonight's meeting is supposed to be a big secret; we're not allowed to tell anyone about what we will learn tonight."

"Very mysterious," I said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

"You're not some kind of spy are you? Trying to lure me into a false sense of security with your adorable clumsiness so that you can learn our secrets?" Jake asked, leaning into my shoulder and nudging me gently.

"Ha. Ha," I said, sarcastically. "Nope. I couldn't make this kind of mess on purpose. Broken truck, bloody toe, and snooping around your house are things that happen in spite of my attempts to stop them." My face flushed red again.

"Please don't be embarrassed about that," he said, brushing the knuckle of his finger against my cheek. "I don't mind sharing my messy room with you. I want us to get to know each other again."

I didn't know what to say. I continued to blush and stared at my hands in awkward silence. I did like the idea of spending more time with him; he was such a sunny person and he brightened my mood each time we were together. Even with a bruised toe, I couldn't help but smile.

He returned my smile and shrugged his shoulders before he moved on to explain what was wrong with my truck. Apparently there was just one part that was old and needed to be replaced. He kept apologizing for not catching it before.

"It's fine Jake, as long as you can fix it."

"That won't be a problem, but I won't be able to get the part until Sunday."

"Oh, well as long as you don't mind driving me home, I'll just hang out there until Charlie gets home. We'll go to the grocery store later."

"I could take you to the grocery store, it always reminds me of going with my mom when I was a kid."

"I'm sure you have things to do around here, I don't want to be a burden."

"Nope, I'm definitely taking you. I _want_ to go."

He was stubborn and my arguments fell on deaf ears. We ended up at the grocery store together.

**End of Chapter Note:**

So the betas were _awesome_ this week and got my chapter back to me on...like...Wednesday I think! Thanks!

Just an fyi, this is the busiest time of year for me: I am a teacher and I run a summer camp so I have a ton of end-of-the-year paper work to do plus an equally large amount of beginning-of-the-summer paperwork and only 24 hours in a day. I probably won't have a chance to even read-through chapter 4 this weekend (but I'll try really hard). Don't hate me if I don't get chapter 4 out next week-boo real life responsibilities. :p

Leave me some love and maybe I'll be suckered into staying up late and editing ;)

Thanks for reading! **  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** So Sorry to take so long! This chapter was a bit of a struggle. I think it's partially because these are some of the first chapters I wrote (ever) and my writing was still a little…eh. Anyway, you guys will have to tell me if it gets better as we go.

Thanks for your patience. I hope you enjoy it!

**A Note:** In my story, while I remain mostly in cannon, there are some things that are quite different. Jacob is a year older in my story than he is in Twilight. He is currently 16 to Bella's 17. You will notice how Jake looks even older, taller, and more muscular now. This is because the change is coming earlier than it does in cannon. Another thing that is different about Jacob and the pack: they get to keep their hair long and it does not affect the length of their coats as wolves. Why? Because I love Jacob with long hair and just didn't want to give it up.

**Thank you to**: Bry and Maggie, as always.

Thank you to Morgan, for showing me the right way to do a flashback and for your patience.

~All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. ~

_**Wandering Home**_

_**By: MKT3**_

**4. Legends**

It was sunny when I woke up on Friday. I could have sworn I heard _The Alleluia Chorus_. I ran straight over to the window with the intention of flinging it open and inhaling few lungfuls of the first semi-dry air I had breathed in a week. Unfortunately, the window hadn't been opened in ages and it wouldn't budge. I pulled, pushed, and shook it with no success. Red faced and scowling, I gave up and stomped to the shower. Hopefully the sun would still be out when I finished.

After my shower, my good mood was restored. Sunny weather made me cheerful, especially since I didn't get to see the sun all that often anymore. I took the time to blow-dry my hair and picked my favorite short-sleeved shirt out of the luggage I still hadn't bothered to unpack. Grabbing my book, the quilt from the back of the couch, and a granola bar, I headed right outside.

_Hello Sun! _

Finding the spot in the back yard with the most direct sunlight, I spread out my blanket and settled in. The sun's rays warmed my back as I sprawled out on my stomach, munched my granola bar, and read about Romeo's many mistakes. I smiled to myself when a chocolate chip dislodged itself from my granola bar and rolled onto the blanket. It reminded me of Jacob's outburst yesterday.

"You can't have a granola bar without chocolate chips!" he had insisted. "It's just not right."

Sometimes he seemed like he was years more mature than I was, and other times he acted just like the kid he used to be.

I put down my book and rolled over, basking in the heat that warmed my face and arms. I closed my eyes and allowed my mind to wander. Should I have been surprised that my mind wandered directly to Jacob and his big, sweet smile? Maybe I could chalk it up to all the time we had spent together recently…

Our afternoon at the grocery store had been a blast; Jacob had tried to sneak junk food into the cart and I attempted to catch him at it while collecting everything on my list. He had decided to stay and "help" me cook dinner for Charlie after we got home and unloaded all the groceries. Eventually, though, I had to send him to the kitchen table with an apple so he would keep his fingers out of my pasta sauce. He could use the vitamins too, I was sure.

"You eat that apple or no pasta for you." I had told him, pointing my spoon at him.

"Yes ma'am," he had responded with a mock salute. "I certainly don't want to miss out on this gourmet meal."

I made a face at him and his sarcasm.

"No seriously!" he had hastily corrected. "You're a good cook!"

"Oh and how do you know that I'm a good cook?" I had responded. All I had made was spaghetti and he hadn't really had any yet.

"E.S.P."

I had shaken my head and smiled at him. "So you can tell the future, huh?"

"Yep! Besides, the way you chose the food- knowing which apples were better and what onion had the right flavor…I don't know, I guess it just seemed obvious to me that you knew what you were doing."

"Well, thanks Jake."

"You're welcome," he had said, dropping his eyes to the table top. There had been something in his eyes, almost a sadness, that made me want hug him… to comfort him somehow.

I wondered, again, what could have caused his uncharacteristic melancholy as I stretched out on the blanket. I sighed and tried to put it out of my mind; if Jacob wanted to tell me about it, eventually, he would.

**Jacob's P.O.V.**

I was excited to bring Bella to our bonfire that evening. I just loved spending time with her. She was always trying to take care of everyone else: Charlie, Billy, me, and even her mother Renee. I smiled thinking of the apple she forced me to eat yesterday, just like my mother used to. All the while she was taking care of everyone else, she made me want to take care of her. I wanted to be the one to rescue her from a broken-down car and bandage up her stubbed toe. _Of course_, I thought with a rush of guilt. _She wouldn't have needed saving if I had done a better job of taking care of her in the first place_. I knew she would never be angry with me for not fixing her truck right the first time, or for frightening her and making her smash her toe, but that didn't mean I couldn't feel terrible about it.

I'd had so much fun watching her cook. I had tried to be helpful, but I know I just made it more difficult for her to get the job done. I would stick my finger into the sauce or grab a piece of sausage and she would smack my knuckles with the spoon she was using. It had been amusing to see that she was such a tyrant in the kitchen; it was clear that she was in her element there and wouldn't let anyone mess around with her food. I loved "head chef" Bella.

The food had been delicious too and I was exceptionally disappointed when I had to leave that warm little kitchen for the council meeting. I had been grinning ear-to-ear the entire drive back to the rez. The smile persisted while I helped my dad into the car and drove to the meeting, too.

"You're in a good mood tonight, son" Dad said.

Never the oblivious father I sometimes wished he was, I knew my dad understood why I was in such a good mood. The question was, would I be able to dodge this discussion for another day or two?

"Yeah, good food does that to me," I hedged, not in the mood for this conversation right now…or really ever.

"Mmhmm," he said, obviously spotting my game. "I need you to snap out of it for a few hours, Jake, this meeting is very important."

That was weird; he didn't usually do the 'stern dad' thing.

"Sure, sure."

"I'm serious, Jake; you need to have a focused mind for this. You need to be ready to learn something about yourself that you have never considered before. Promise me you will pay close attention and keep an open mind."

"Ok, ok, I promise," I said quickly. He was really serious about this stuff.

I should have known; if my Dad was that serious about something it would change my entire world. What they told us was nothing new; they were the same stories told every year at the bonfire. What shocked all of us was that they were trying to convince us these stories were facts and truths, not legends. My immediate response was denial, to shake my head and say, "no, they're legends, _just_ legends," under my breath. Of course, the elders knew well enough that we would react exactly this way and had a plan that would force us to believe.

I would remember that moment for the rest of my life. I was sitting in between my best friends Quil and Embry (who were both with me the day before when they first told us we were a part of the "Pack"). We were all looking at each other, disbelief plain on our faces, when Sam Uley stood up from his seat at the head-council table. He turned around to face the rest of the elders, stripped off his clothes, and exploded.

Where there had once been a man, now a gigantic wolf stood. Huge- I mean, bigger than a horse or a bear huge. The coal-black wolf walked back and forth around the room for a while, making sure we all got a good look at him. His terrifying fangs were just above eye-level and his bristled fur was brushing the ceiling. He was almost too large for the room. When he was satisfied with the show he returned to his original position, turned to face the elders, and shrank back to his normal self. The room was utterly silent as Sam pulled his clothing back on and resumed his seat at the head of the room.

Sam went on to explain that all of us would soon become…like him. Those of us with grandfathers who were part of the last pack and everyone who had begun to grow so much larger than we should have been at fifteen, sixteen, and seventeen were believed to be close to making the change. He explained what it felt like when he was about to change and that he believed we would be able to hear each other's thoughts. He promised to be there, to help us calm down and become ourselves again. Then, he gave us a stern and painfully honest warning, he explained that anger was the trigger for our change and that we should be careful around humans. "Humans" included our friends, our families, and our girlfriends.

Sam painstakingly described what he had done to his fiancée, Emily. We all believed that that scars on her face and body were the result of an unfortunate bear attack. We were wrong, so wrong. Sam had attacked Emily. Not on purpose, of course, but because they were arguing and he lost his temper. His temper and his control.

Horrified, I swore to myself that I would never, ever lose it around Bella, no matter what. I would not be able to live with myself if I ever did that to her. The pain in Sam's expression was enough to make all of us feel at least minutely guilty for their situation.

The most horrifying part of the night was when Sam finally described the purpose for our change. Vampires: granite hard, pale white, beautiful, and inhuman. These were horror film characters who massacred the human race wherever they traveled. Vampires were the catalyst behind our shift. Sam was telling us vampires were real and that we were built to destroy them. Worse still was the revelation that there was a coven of vampires living in Forks at that very moment. A hundred-year-old treaty kept both the vampires and the tribe safe; as long as we all followed that agreement, we wouldn't attack each other. No, we wouldn't attack them but we wouldn't remain dormant or unprepared either. We would have our natural, blood-born defenses. When the vampires had returned to our area, something was sparked within us and we began the change that would turn us into the giant, vampire-killing wolves that were meant to protect the tribe.

The conclusion of the meeting involved a ceremony of secrecy that was, apparently, developed solely for the purpose of educating future pack members without risking discovery. Sam reminded us that, when we began to develop a high body temperature and an exceptionally short temper, we should find him so that he could help us make the change without hurting anyone. Then we dispersed in a shocked silence to a world that was suddenly very different than it had been two hours earlier.

On the drive home, my father was all smiles. He was so proud I was going to become a part of the "history that has protected our tribe for centuries." I couldn't understand his enthusiasm; what could possibly be good about becoming a giant wolf? What was good about knowing that myths of vampires and werewolves were real? I didn't want any part of it and I told him so.

"Jake, whether you want to be a part of it or not, you will be. You have already noticed that your body has changed and is much larger than a normal sixteen-year-old's."

"I know," I mumbled miserably.

"Don't get down about it Jake, try to look at the bright side; you will be keeping all of us safe, protecting us from the evil that could so easily destroy us all. Besides, Sam tells us that he can run really fast. I mean really fast," he said with a smirk.

"Hmph," I sighed. _What's so fantastic about running fast?_

"Oh and I wanted to remind you, since you've been spending so much time with Bella lately, you cannot tell her anything about this."

I gave him a face that said, "Duh, Dad."

"I know son, but I also know your honest nature. You and Bella never lied to Charlie and me when you were kids, even when you wanted to." He laughed at the memory. "It's going to be hard for you to keep this secret. You have to be very careful."

"Ok, Dad, I promise I won't tell Bella. She'd probably have me committed if I did. Enough of the serious talks, okay? You're freakin' me out."

He laughed, again. "Okay son, so, tell me about your day with Bella."

He continued to torture me with embarrassing questions and innuendos the rest of the evening. When I had finally had enough and told him I was going to bed early, he got serious again (this may have been a record-breaker for the most 'dad talks' my father had ever given me in one day). "I'm really glad you and Bella are getting along so well. Charlie and I couldn't be happier to see our children together."

"Dad, we're not 'together.' We're just friends," I informed him, putting air quotes around the word "together".

"For now," he said with a smile and a wink. _Seriously?_ "Make sure you bring her to the barbeque tomorrow. Everyone will want to meet her."

"I'll be sure to warn her," I muttered, shaking my head as I trudged down the hall and flopped into bed.

**Chapter End Notes: **A little different, eh? Tell me how you like it! Your reviews will encourage me to spend my only day off this week working on chapter 5! ;)

See you next time!


	5. Chapter 5

_**Wandering Home**_

_**By: MKT3**_

_**Author's note:**_

_Hey! Hi there! Remember me? _

_Trust me, I know it has been a ridiculously long time since I updated…and we're only on chapter 5!_

_Here's what I've been doing since we last met:_

_-I had an epiphany about my writing and (I think) am on the road to improving it greatly_

_-I celebrated my wedding anniversary with my husband (can you say, "couple's massage, fancy dinner, and the most delicious sangria,"? Yes, yes I can!)_

_-Working my rear-end off at camp…seriously, I work all the time_

_-I discovered my new favorite work out- a little Wii game called Just Dance- it kicks my you-know-what and makes me miss dancing SO much!_

_- Oh, I got to see an early showing of Eclipse (because I won free tickets from the local radio station…stump the "twi-hards" that work at the radio station…hehe, you know I won! And my staff at camp heard me on the radio…I guess I have to own up to my obsessive level of fan-girl-ness to my employees…haha) Don't worry, I've seen it twice and am IN LOVE with this movie. Thank GOODNESS for directors that help improve acting…_

_-I have also been tubing (IE…floating down the river on an inner-tube with a plastic bottle full of rum and coke) and getting so completely burned that I couldn't even move for 3 days. Horrible._

_-I learned how to spell CANON…Seriously! You'd think I'd have picked up on that!_

_-I have been reading a fic on twilighted called The Longest Summer and it makes me SO happy! Did I mention I run a summer camp? This is like the perfect combo of my two favorite obsessions- camp and twilight. It does not get better! _

_-Oh, and I have found some permanent betas! Hoooray! It's very exciting and they are AWESOME (hence the aforementioned epiphany) _

_Okay, I'll shut up now! Enjoy!_

_A note: _In my story, while I remain mostly in canon, there are some things that are quite different. Jacob is a year older in my story than he is in Twilight. He is currently 16 to Bella's 17. You will notice how Jake looks even older, taller, and more muscular now. This is because the change is coming earlier than it does in canon. Another thing that is different about Jacob and the pack: they get to keep their hair long and it does not affect the length of their coats as wolves. Why? Because I _love _Jacob with long hair and just didn't want to give it up.

~All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. ~

**5. Premonitions**

_It was raining again. I was standing in my raincoat in the middle of a forest, shivering against the cold and wet. I was waiting for something, but I didn't know what it was and that made me nervous. I kept whipping my head around, trying to see whatever it was that was coming. And I _knew_ something was coming. Unexpectedly, warm arms wrapped around me from behind, enveloping my shoulders in warmth and a familiar, musky scent. I smiled._

"_Jake?" I asked as I tried to crane my neck around to see him._

"_Yeah, Bells, it's me," he said, melancholy dampening his normally cheerful tone. _

"_Why won't you let me see you?"_

"_I don't want you to be afraid."_

"_How could I ever be afraid of you?" I asked him, wrapping a hand around each of his forearms. _

"_I'm a monster, Bella. How could you not be afraid?" I felt him shaking his head behind me._

_I joined in on the sad head shaking. How could he think I'd be afraid of him? "Please, Jake…"_

_He sighed and leaned his forehead into my shoulder._

"_I'm not afraid," I murmured into his ear. _

_I felt his arms reluctantly slide from mine and the ache of loneliness seeped through me as his warmth faded. Without a sound, he was gone._

_I started looking around for him again, nervous that he'd really left me there, alone. I looked down at my soaking wet heels. Heels? Since when did I wear heels? I heard a rustling from the trees directly across the clearing from me. When I looked up, I screamed. Well, I tried to scream but it got caught in my throat; all that came out was a choked gasp. Not six feet away from me stood a gigantic, auburn wolf. Its shoulders reached well above my head, and its sharp teeth gleamed in the muted light of the forest. I thought I was prepared for this, but the reality was terrifying. The wolf took a step in my direction, and my whole body tensed. Fight or flight? Fight or flight? It took another step but I was rooted to the spot… _

I sat up abruptly, frightened out of sleep, to a darkened yard and a pair of warm hands on my shoulders.

"Jake?" I asked, pulling my eyebrows together in confusion. He was kneeling beside me on the blanket, watching me with concern and amusement mingling on his features.

"Hey Bells," he said, flashing his trademark smirk. "I'm glad you're finally awake."

_Finally? _I sat up straighter and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, trying to process what Jake was saying, what he was doing here. "How long have you been here?" I rasped, my voice sounding rough from sleep. I cleared my throat.

"Not long," he responded, raising a hand to gently push a few loose curls out of my face. Uncharacteristic concern creased his brow. "What were you dreaming about?"

"Oh, just a rainy forest, you know? I think it's this place, with all the rain. It's giving me strange dreams." I shrugged, attempting to shake off the shiver that coursed through me at the memory of sharp canines and paws the size of dinner plates.

"It looked like a nightmare." His eyes met mine, challenging me to lie.

"How'd you know I was having a nightmare?" I asked him, meeting his gaze with a steady one of my own.

He smirked at me, and my cheeks immediately flushed. Suddenly, I found a hole in the quilt that was quite fascinating. I started picking at it and refused to look at him. I knew exactly what he was going to say.

"Did you know that you talk in your sleep?"

My face continued to blaze and my fingers to tear at the quilt. He was the first person, aside from Renee and Charlie, to ever hear my sleep talking. "Yes," I mumbled. "Renee teases me about it all the time. Did I say anything embarrassing?"

He smiled wickedly.

"Never mind, I don't want to know," I said, shaking my head and covering my eyes with both of my hands.

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I think it's kinda cute," he told me, shifting to sit beside me on the blanket with his arms propping him up from behind.

_Cute? Try exceedingly embarrassing and revealing._ "Yeah, right."

"I do! I did at first, anyway, but then the dream must have changed. You were…terrified." Jacob shook his head vaguely.

"How could you tell?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

I watched as the amusement faded and concern colored his features again. "At first you were smiling and talking about, um, nothing of importance," he said, a very slight blush coloring his cheeks. "You were smiling, then you looked worried, and then you looked flat-out scared. Like, really scared. You were breathing hard, like you'd just run a marathon, and you kept muttering things that I couldn't understand." He frowned at the hole in the quilt where my fingers were now pulling small fibers loose. "I should have woken you up, but I couldn't remember if there was a rule about that. About not waking people up…" he trailed off, sitting up straighter and absentmindedly placing his hand over mine to prevent me from picking at the blanket.

"That's sleepwalkers," I told him, trying my best to ignore the way his fingers left heated trails across my knuckles.

"Oh, right. Anyway, I don't think I've ever seen you like that…" His eyebrows scrunched together, considering me carefully. "Scared like that, I mean. It was...hard, to watch you and not be able to do anything about it." He rubbed his thumb once more across my knuckles, then seemed to realize what he was doing and hastily pulled his hand away.

I frowned at the loss of contact. "It was just a dream, you know? I'm fine," I reminded him, pulling my knees up to my chest.

"I know." He shook his head. "It was just…" He paused again, but couldn't seem to decide what he wanted to say. He gave up and shrugged, allowing the smile he usually wore to return.

A cool breeze blew through the yard, and the branches of the old oak danced above us. A few stray leaves floated down around us, and I shivered involuntarily.

"You must be freezing," he said, watching the goose bumps form on my arm. "What are you doing out here anyway?"

"It was sunny earlier. You know how I am about the sun."

He nodded and smirked with tolerant understanding.

"Anyway, I must have fallen asleep. Now the sun's gone." I pouted, realizing I'd missed out on some of the rare sunlight.

Jacob laughed out loud. "You and your sun," he muttered, shaking his head. "It kept you away for a long time." He glanced up at me from under his dark eyelashes with a hint of wistfulness in his deep, brown eyes. For the first time, I felt a twinge of guilt for staying away so long, and was a little wistful myself thinking of all I'd missed out on with Jake.

"Well, I'm determined to adjust this time," I told him, hugging my knees tighter to my chest.

"Good." He hopped to his feet and offered me a hand. "Now, let's get you inside. You've got to be freezing."

"Oh, and you're not?" I asked him with a raised brow while he helped me up.

"Never. I'm too tough for cold," he said, self-confident as ever. He flexed his arms and raised his eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes.

I collected my book and the blanket, wrapping both of my arms around the quilt before I turned to face Jake. "What are you doing here anyway?" I asked him, impudently, thinking to tease.

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Well, if you don't want me…" he trailed off, hands shoved in his pockets, head down, feet carrying him on a slowly meandering trail toward his car. Pitiful.

I sighed and gave in, just as he knew I would. "Of course I want you here, Jake. I was just wondering what you were doing here so early," I clarified in a voice of strained patience.

"You want me to stay?" he asked with mock-shyness.

I nodded.

He turned back toward the driveway and took another step. He sighed dramatically. "I don't think you really do."

It was my turn to sigh. He was exasperating. "Yes, Jacob, I want you here."

"Ah, I knew you couldn't resist me," he said with a shining grin. His cocky confidence was back with a vengeance.

I shook my head and tried not to smile. I failed, of course.

"Actually," he said, somewhat more seriously. "I came to see if I could drag you down to La Push early to have some dinner with us. We always have a cookout before the bonfire. Everybody comes."

"Sure," I said automatically before a fit of self consciousness had me fiddling with the end of my t-shirt. "I don't want to intrude, though. Won't your friends get sick of having, you know, the new girl around all night?" I asked, using my hand to gesture to myself, head to foot.

"Of course they won't," he said between disbelieving chuckles and head-shaking. "They're going to love you, I promise." He took the quilt from me and slung it over his arm before offering me his elbow. "Let's go and get you some warmer clothes," he said, as I placed my hand on the warm skin and hardened muscles of his forearm.

"Honestly," Jake added as we headed for the house. "I'm more worried about them insulting you. The guys aren't necessarily as gentlemanly as I am."

I smiled. "I'm sure they're great."

"Well, my two best friends are Quil and Embry. Quil loves to tell dirty jokes and pull pranks. He does not discriminate. It doesn't matter if you're a girl or a guy, his grandmother, or the chief of the tribe. He pulls pranks on everyone. Embry has a few more manners but Quil rubs off on him, too, sometimes. He's the kinda guy you can count on. He's always been there for me- not that Quil hasn't."

The stories continued as we folded the quilt and set it on the back of the couch. It seemed he was going to tell me something about everyone, before I'd even had the chance to meet them. "Don't be insulted, Paul's just like that with everyone. I'm sure you'll love Emily, she's so sweet and she likes to take care of everyone, kind of like you. Oh, don't stare at her face. Sam doesn't like it if people notice-"

"Wait, notice what? Why would I stare at her face?" I interrupted, confused. We had wandered into the kitchen, taking seats opposite each other at the table.

"She has some pretty nasty scars. There was an accident." He exhaled audibly, glanced out the window and drew a hand across the back of his neck. "She was attacked by a bear…" he said hesitantly. I couldn't imagine what kind of scars could elicit this strained reaction from him.

"Oh, okay," I said quietly, feeling the weight of Jacob's tension in the air around me. For some reason the topic put a stop to Jake's constant stream of information and caused a worried crease to appear between his eyes. He was silent for a moment, lost in his thoughts.

"Hey, you're buff, right?" I asked with my eyebrow raised, trying to coax a smile out of him.

It worked. "Oh yeah, I'm a regular Arnold Schwarzenegger," he said with a smirk.

I felt my heart lighten at the sight of it.

"Well then, would it be possible to use those muscles to open my window? I was upset this morning when the weather was finally semi-dry, and I couldn't even open my window to enjoy it."

"Sure, where is the window? Is it this way?" he asked, curling his arm up to flex his bicep while pointing to the right. "Or this way?" he said repeating the motion on his left.

We both laughed at that. "Upstairs, follow me."

After much muscle flexing and an awful imitation of an Austrian accent, Jake was able to wrench my window open. He forced it up and down a few times, trying to loosen it up before he decided it could use a little lubrication.

I watched him through the window as he jogged out to his car to grab the WD-40. His muscles worked seamlessly together, creating a smooth gait. Power and strength seemingly used with restraint. For only a moment, I imagined that Jacob was capable of feats of great strength. That he could lift the end of his car without breaking a sweat. That he could run as fast-faster than an Olympic sprinter. But no, that couldn't be, I thought, shaking my head. Silly.

"Okay," he said, a few moments later. "Try to open it while I put this on."

He squeezed the bottle, carefully applying the oil while I pulled with all of my strength on the window. Pulled and pulled while Jake applied oil to both sides of the aged window. To no avail.

"Ugh," I muttered, rubbing my hands together to distract from the slight sting left after pulling so hard on the window. The blood pulsed through my arms from the effort of lifting, causing them to tremble. "Sheesh, I'm useless." I turned around and leaned against the offending window, crossing my arms and shaking my head at my shoes.

Jacob laughed good-naturedly and reached out to rub his hands up and down my upper arms. "You're not useless, maybe not very strong, but definitely not useless," he said, smiling sweetly. I looked up at him; I had to tilt my head nearly all the way back because he was so tall. His smile shrank slightly and became a one-sided smirk as our eyes met. His hands stilled on my arms, and I was abruptly and acutely aware of our proximity. I watched his eyes slip down to my shoes and slowly climb their way back up again. It was as if I could feel his gaze; goose bumps formed along my legs, my stomach, my chest (Jake!), and up the sides of my neck before his dark eyes returned to mine. His face was serious now but his eyes sparkled with mischief. A shiver trembled through me, and Jake, seeming to realize just how close we were, stepped back slightly, breaking our gaze and dropping his hands from my arms.

He cleared his throat and swung his arms awkwardly at his sides. "Well, um," he started, swallowing audibly. "You probably won't be able to open this on your own for a while. It will take regular applications of this stuff," he said, grabbing the little metal bottle of WD-40 off the windowsill and shaking it, "before it will work properly. I think it was left shut for too long. I'll come by again next week to give it another try." He took another step back and bumped into my dresser. He jumped. "Sorry, sorry," he said, looking anywhere but at me.

I laughed quietly, covering my mouth to keep him from seeing my smile.

"Well," he said, shoving his hands in to his pockets and shifting awkwardly from foot to foot. "I'll let you get changed."

I blushed, my cheeks burning hot at the thought of changing my clothes after the whatever-it-was that just passed between Jake and me.

"I'll be in the kitchen," he said, finally meeting my eyes again. He smiled his happy, wide, cocky smile before quickly disappearing down the stairs in three short strides.

I shook my head and smiled to myself. Awkward wasn't a personality trait you often saw on Jake. In fact, I wasn't sure I'd ever seen him act awkwardly before. It was kind of sweet, I thought as began to rummage through my still-packed suitcase.

_**Chapter End:**_

_Thank you for reading!_

_THANK YOU to Morgan and Jenifer for beta-ing. You are so patient and kind with me and my rooky mistakes. You have already helped me so much! You. Are. Awesome. Thanks! _

_I hope (but I am making no promises) that I will get chapter 6 moving much more quickly than I did with chapter 5. I do think that you can expect me to take quite a bit of time between posts from now on. I am learning a lot about writing and about myself as a writer. One thing? I cannot force myself to write. If the creative juices aren't flowing, I have to walk away and come back when they are flowing. (I know this because I rewrote this chapter 3 times before I got it right…ridiculous!)_

_So, be patient with me- the story will be better for it. _

_Leave me some love- it keeps me motivated. Tell me, how do you like "the Jakenator"? hehehe. I'll make you a deal: leave me a review and I'll send you a little teaser for chapter 6. (I am not above bribery ;) _

_Until next time,_

_Mari_


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